AVID
AVID's Mission
AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.
Nationally Recognized
Coleman is recognized as an AVID National Demonstration School.
- Our entire staff supports our AVID systems by using AVID strategies in their classrooms.
- We are a model for schools across the U.S. that travel to see Coleman AVID's system in action.
- Students and staff participate in a revalidation process every 3 years to ensure our AVID system is making the biggest impact possible.
- Coleman is in the TOP 3% of AVID implementation schools in the nation.
There are 7,500+ AVID schools in 47 states, impacting nearly 2 million students in grades K-12. Out of all AVID schools, only 213 (3%) are AVID National Demonstration Schools. There are only 4 AVID National Demonstration Schools in Kansas!
Apply Now for the 2025-2026 School Year
Applications for AVID are due Friday, January 31, 2025.
Current 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students interested in applying for AVID for next school year need to complete the online AVID application. We will reach out after the deadline regarding interviews, questions, and status updates.
Prior to completing the online AVID application, we encourage you to download and complete the AVID Application Info & Pre-Work page linked below:
How to Apply for AVID at Coleman:
1. Have District AVID application completed and submitted by January 31, 2025.
2. MUST also complete a magnet school application for Coleman Environmental Magnet, UNLESS you are a Coleman neighborhood student.
If you are interested in AVID, but not interested in attending Coleman, other schools which offer AVID are Robinson, Mead, Pleasant Valley, and Truesdell Middle Schools.
AVID Schoolwide
- Binder Checks: Monthly checks of our students' organizational tools. Students maintain their daily agendas, manage materials from class, and interact with notes from class to prepare for the check.
- WICOR Strategies: Staff and students utilize WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) strategies to help student gain, maintain, and retain knowledge and skills.
- Middle School 101: All 6th grade students take a quarter-long class to learn about organizational skills, along with other components of WICOR and AVID.
- Focused Note-Taking: Students take notes across content areas and interact with their notes to increase retention of information. The formats available for note-taking are many, including graphic organizers, Cornell Notes, two-column notes, and three-column notes.
- Wear College Wednesdays: All members of the Coleman community are encouraged to wear college attire on Wednesdays to promote a college-going culture.
- Family Events: Each Spring, we host events to help families learn about how AVID supports students whether they are in an AVID class or not.
AVID Classes
AVID and AVID Excel are elective classes which support students as they work toward personal and academic success. These classes focus on gaining the skills needed for college and career readiness.
AVID is for “middle to upper-middle” academic students. These students have the potential for honors/Pre-Ap work in school, but benefit from academic and emotional support paired with the rigor. AVID combines each student’s own individual determination with the support of teachers, other students, family members, and college tutors.
AVID Excel supports English language learners (ELLs) in developing academic language skills alongside other AVID skills.
In AVID classes, students focus on:
- Organization
- Study skills
- Collaboration
- Note-taking
- Presentation skills
- Problem-solving
- Inter-personal skills
Other activities include:
- College and career readiness
- Community service opportunities
- College field trips
- Encouragement to enroll in rigorous classes
AVID Coordinators
Mrs. Catherine Arellano
carellano@usd259.net
Mr. Jon Belsan
jbelsan@usd259.net